Kaka poised to win Ballon d'Or award

By Patrick Vignal

PARIS (Reuters) - There is little doubt that Kaka will be awarded the 2007 Ballon d'Or on Sunday. AC Milan's Brazil playmaker is the hot favourite to receive the former European footballer of the year prize, now extended to players in other countries around the world.

Italian media reported that the Ballon D'Or jury had told the 25-year-old attacking midfielder to prepare for the awards ceremony on December 2 in Paris.

French magazine France Football, which organises the vote, refused to confirm this, saying only that Kaka would definitely be in the top 10.

Until last year, when Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro won the award after leading his side to World Cup glory in Germany, 52 European journalists voted for a player from a European club.

For this year's award, 96 journalists from around the world voted and the shortlist of 50 featured players based in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Qatar.

The elegant Kaka is already the winner of the FIFPro world player of the year and UEFA European club player of the year awards and is the big favourite for FIFA's world player of the year to be announced later this year.

His 10 goals in guiding Milan to their seventh European Cup triumph in May set up this flurry of awards in a year without a World Cup or European championship.

Kaka said he would have voted for Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo. According to France Football, the Portugal winger is in the top 10.